Detroit Tigers starter Justin Verlander throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning Monday in Phoenix. AP Photo

PHOENIX -- Justin Verlander has made countless tweaks this season in an attempt to fix the seemingly endless number of issues that have plagued him for much of the season.

But he's never made an adjustment "literally 10 minutes" before he warmed up before a start. Until Monday.

Verlander said late Monday that he made a last-minute tweak to his arm action after analyzing a couple pictures on the internet just minutes before warming up in Arizona.

Verlander wanted to look at a few photos to see if he had changed his grip from previous years. What he spotted, instead, was a difference in his arm.

"I said, 'Oh, that doesn't look the same,'" Verlander said. "So, I went out and tried to throw the way I used to throw, and immediately, when I got on the mound to throw my bullpen to warm up, I was able to locate the way that I felt I should."

The adjustment paid off immediately as Verlander cruised through the first three innings Monday night, largely due to a much-improved command on his fastball. He needed just 34 pitches to work three no-hit innings against the Diamondbacks.

Verlander ran into a bit of trouble in the fourth after giving up his first hit of the game. It appeared he couldn't find similar control with his four-seamer when pitching out of the stretch. But he escaped the jam and went on to pitch 6 2/3 strong innings to pick up his first win on the road since May 30 in Seattle.

"I could tell right from jumpstreet that it felt like I was able to throw the way I want," Verlander said. "Really, it was the first time all year that it felt like I was able to locate my fastball as well as I'd like to."

Verlander has been subject to heavy criticism this year after struggling mightily in the first half. He entered his start Monday with a 4.88 ERA and owned a 6.7 strikeout-per-nine rate -- his lowest rate since his rookie season in 2006.

Asked whether it was unusual for the former AL MVP to make an adjustment less than an hour before his scheduled start, Verlander laughed.

"Yeah," he said. "I just wanted to make sure my hand position on the ball was the same. And after looking at it, the adjustment I made had nothing to do with my hand position. It was just odd that I did it right before the game."